Richmond “will be active” at AFL Mid-Season Draft, the players they could considerThe Tigers are in line to get early access to the top-rated prospects of this year’s MSD crop.
Mitch Keating
zerohanger.com
May 9, 2024 Richmond "will be active" at this month's Mid-Season Draft as the club looks to recover from a difficult start to life under new coach Adem Yze.
The Tigers' ongoing injury woes have restricted the club's ability to press for a finals spot, winning just one of their eight matches in 2024 to sit only above a winless North Melbourne unit.
Richmond's misfortunes, both with injuries and on the ladder, have them placed to get early access to the nation's most in-demand over-age talent at the Mid-Season Draft.
Season-ending setbacks to third-year duo Josh Gibcus and Judson Clarke will mean the Tigers can open two list spots for the May intake by moving the pair to their inactive list.
Currently 17th on the ladder, and with 13 clubs currently able to partake in the Mid-Season Draft, the Tigers sit with the second and 15th overall selections for the draft.
The final draft order - which is set in reverse of the ladder after Round 11 - will be determined by any further long-term injury setbacks or retirements across the competition.
Likely to have access to a top five selection, the Tigers will use their opening pick before weighing up their options on draft night come the second round.
"Yeah, we will be (active)," Yze said when quizzed by Zero Hanger.
"We've got a couple of players injured long term. So we've got two spots. Whether we fill in both or whether we just go with one... but yeah, we will be active."
Richmond recruited Matt Coulthard and James Trezise at last year's Mid-Season Draft with Picks 4 and 13 respectively, with the latter plucked out of the club's VFL program.
Arguably two of the Mid-Season Draft's biggest success stories have come from the Tigers' reserves, with breakout Bomber Sam Durham and Hawthorn's Massimo D'Ambrosio both drafted to Essendon.
Richmond might not need to look too far again this year, with VFL-listed defender Mutaz El Nour continuing to show promise at the level for the Tigers' reserves.
Alongside fellow tall Tom Brindley and former Port Adelaide player Joel Garner, El Nour has been among the Tigers' best performers in the VFL and could be considered for the Mid-Season Draft.
Richmond will heavily lean toward selecting the best available talent with its first pick, but will be keen to bolster its key forward stocks following a lean opening eight matches.
The absence of Tom Lynch and Noah Balta has given Mykelti Lefau a chance to prove his value, however recruit Jacob Koschitzke has struggled to fire.
South Adelaide teenager Noah Howes could be on for Richmond to consider, bringing a 196cm frame and plenty of promise after five league matches for the Panthers this year.
Collingwood VFL forward Jack Hutchinson and West Perth's Jasper Scaife are also highly-rated emerging forwards.
The 2024 Mid-Season Draft will take place on Wednesday, May 29.
https://www.zerohanger.com/richmond-will-be-active-at-afl-mid-season-draft-the-players-they-could-consider-150455/
